Copyright protects authors, composers, filmmakers, and artists from unauthorized
copying, display, distribution or sale of their work by others. Copyright
applies to any original work that has been fixed in a tangible medium—print,
electronic, or audiovisual.
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For example: Web pages and their contents are
protected by copyright as soon as they are created, with or without
a copyright notice. "Borrowing" HTML code and using it to
create your own page is an infringement of copyright.
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"Fair use" as defined by federal
law allows the limited copying of copyrighted
works under limited circumstances, when
there is insufficent time to request and receive permission. These circumstances
include criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship,
and research.
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For example: A student may copy a journal article
for the purposes of scholarship and/or research. A student may not
post a copy of that same article on his/her web page. Only with the
express permission of the copyright owner can you distribute their copyrighted
work.
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Unless there is a clear indication that original work is in the public domain, or there is a statement by the author that content may be copied without permission, you must assume that everything you see is copyrighted.
Additional information about the "dos" and "don'ts" of
copyright is available at:
Ten Big Myths About
Copyright Explained
The Copyright Website
Why Cite Information
Sources? | What Needs
to Be Cited? | In-Text Citations | How
to Cite | Plagarism: What Is It? | Style
Manuals | Copyright & Fair Use | Quick
References
Last updated: Friday, 02-Jul-2004 14:57:31 EDT